


Constellation Dragons

by Pandagirl23



Series: Enass-AU [19]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Astrology, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Bucky Barnes Remembers, Bucky is Learning about Feels, Insomnia, M/M, Maria Stark is not Tony's mom, Post-Canon, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Starts of crushes, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Still Has Arc Reactor, Tony Stark's emotional capacity of a cat snail, soft tony stark, tony stark is a nerd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:21:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28438299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pandagirl23/pseuds/Pandagirl23
Summary: Tony is out on the balcony late at night staring at the doors when he gains a guest.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Series: Enass-AU [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2017507
Kudos: 21





	Constellation Dragons

**Author's Note:**

> Back with these beautiful awkward boys. Tony with his growing, I kinda like you but no, stay away. 
> 
> Bucky is like I am pretty sure I have crushed on this guy but what is a crush? Help.
> 
> Basically boiling down to stiff and awkwardly cute conversation.

It was cool mid-September night and the crisp beginning of fall air with the stars at peak brightness. Tony began remapping the constellations and on occasion, he would consult online without his phone to ruin the darkness. The days he is glad that extremis made his body spryer. Shifting his hand out of the sweater he leaned back into the wooden bench crossing his legs.

He found Polaris. Spot Venus earlier in the night. He believes he knows where Jupiter is lying. He knows where Castor and Rigel are. He can always find them now because you go a little diagonal upward keep than to get to Rigel you go straight down into Orion’s left side last making the connection way to Polaris again. Always start at Polaris and move to find the other two.

He finds it humorous that his sign, Taurus (silly idea about personalities being told through that), Perseus, Aquila and Aries all fall in the triangle. Stubborn, protective animals with the person help raise the sun up. It is an even funnier notion that Polaris is part of Ursa Minor, the child of the Great Bear.

Curling up further into the bench, the genius let out a soft breath remembering the times where he was never really allowed to be outside and stargaze. He can remember the one and only time he was able to do this without Howard hurting him or when there were no clouds in the sky.

He finds it more beautiful when the lights in the sky made the fog shimmer with an ethereal mood. Twisting at his blanket he was so heavily distracted when sounds of heavy footsteps alerted him. Gripping his chest, he turned to give whoever is creeping up on him a lashing or he would just walk away avoiding any unneeded conversations.

Meeting the dark silhouette figure, it only took the short male to realize the build of the body and the sound combat boots with adjusting metal arm was Barnes. Watching Barnes step out of the shadows even with his vigilante gaze, Tony can tell Barnes was done with his nightly duties. If the water bottle in hand did not tell him anything about it. Self-appointed as they were, it made Tony feel a little more content about the manor being watched over.

“Barnes… hey.”

Barnes nodded at him walking over to stare at the empty space by him, not too close but enough that Tony could suction off some of the never-ending heat coming off Super enhance men. He remembers Bruce had a weird overheat and underheat thing that happens to his body.

Tilting his head, a little, the genius kept watching Barnes even as he took the seat and stared at the stars. There was the unasked question about what he was doing out here. Tony knows that is the question or he is extremely tired. Curling up further keeping his hands firmly in the sweater, the tightly curled haired man continued finding the constellations and stars until he saw Barnes eyes, looking ghostly pale from the Crescent moonlight. He can find some of those constellations resting Barnes’s eyes. Turning away, Tony paid attention and almost felt like he can see the seconds tick by for these outer space objects. Barely moving compared to Earth or even faster.

Holding back the jolt of fear with surprise, he was the super soldier next to him map out Polaris with that the hands of a cartographer.

“Polaris.”

Barnes barely hid his own minute jump, but to that of a turtle or even snail, you would never see them move quickly.

“Sorry.” The genius mumbled going back to staring at the stars.

From the corner of his eyes, Tony watched the floppy dark brown hair flopped around his shoulders as he shook his head a no.

“No, A—Stark… it is okay. I interrupted.”

“You… didn’t interrupt.”

Silence, comfortable, little awkward, and simple fell between both men, heroes, and roommates. Both turned their heads to watch the stars once enjoying the quietness that seemed still to be with since the cemetery.

Several minutes when Tony turned over to face Barnes fully and bit back a surprise amusement when Barnes matched him. Shaking his hand out he tugged on the blanket.

“I said we can… talking things out… more.”

Barnes nodded as he shook himself mentally from the reverie of seeing the cute male swimming in fabrics. He remembers that but he was not going to force the male to hold something he never even promised.

“Yeah. Do you though?”

Tony stared at the super-soldier. One part of him can find angles and see the question as a general concern. Deeper parts of him are screaming that this is a trap. Run. Don’t talk, divulge, give, or even let another person in close from that group. Yet, he can see the pure honesty behind those dead eyes.

“Yeah… I can…”

So began around a 2-hour conversation about science, stars, planets, and anything that came up. Science was the safest bet but when Barnes tone switched and his face loosens, there was a grain of excitement. Unadulterated happiness shining dimly from Barnes as he talks about what he excepted and was disappointed with in some ways. Then plants, this was Tony and Bucky speaking about flowers, nuts, and fruit. What would make the prettiest arrangement? Meanings. How nuts are weird fruits under their categories. Then fruit with their favorites at the top. Both knew each other fruit because of being told or seeing loads of plums in the kitchen fridge.

Color Tony surprise when he learned Barnes was getting into music from the 40s, 60s, 80s, 90s, and 10s. In genres that can be seen closer to Rock, Jazz, Swing, and instrumental pieces.

Tony looked at Barnes, before staring back at the sky, “Want to hear a story my momma wrote and told me?”

A nod of yes from the Winter Soldier even though the stormy blues danced with lightning amusement.

Almost an hour passed when he told the story about Northern and his mother Milk Way. Then another story about Rigel, Castor, and Andromeda. Their father marrying Milky Way. When the story finished, both men sat back on the bench, observing the sky and seeing the first signs that the night was almost over.

Tony can feel today’s reality hitting him like a bag of bricks. Facing Barnes again, he took in a steady breath, “I think… I am going to tell the other about my family.”

In the predatory finesse that this man usually has, James made a wounded and confused sound through his nose. It also a question when words were failing him.

Tony waited though, waited for him to answer him. He can wait. People think he is not good at waiting but he can wait. He waited till he had a chance to be free Howard, he waited with Yinsen to escape, he can wait. Staying quiet without a need to is something he doesn’t do often, “I think… if I tell them… at least that way… my family… can be safe or they know I would go for them in case a kidnapping happens.”

James exhaled a questioning hum once more through the nose. 

Tony shrugged at him staring at the glass pane with wooden door frames. Then decorated balcony of hanging creep vines. Turning back to his bench companion. He heard the taller man clear his throat.

“If you want to.”

“I do,” Tony replied quietly even though the fear raced through him like a rocket.

Bucky stayed silent staring at Anthony who began to twitch and tug more on the blanket through his sweater paws. Staring at the stars fading slowly, he worked the lump around his throat that would make him choke on something. He didn’t feel his nerves geared up.

“You want to practice explaining everything?”

“Practice? Like for a speech?” Tony wanted to sound incredulous, but he was curious about what the sniper meant.

“Yeah.” He simply said even with the attention on the sky.

Honey browns turned to the sky as well. “Can I do it… with you… without eye contact.”

“Yeah,” James spoke a little quieter, even if his voice is losing the sandy touch the deep baritone voice mixed with two accents that should not work soothed something in the futurist.

“Thanks.” Tony hummed out.

Through the next 30 to 50 minutes, one listened while the other explained his family and reasons why he is telling the roommates (team, Rogues, people) about them. At times the soft silk thread voice turned coarse like a rope and other times with was slow like molasses. Barnes listened.

Steam left Tony as he finished talking about his family and the reasons for telling the roommates, he turned to see Barnes watching the sky lighten, faint morning pinks and light oranges twinkled away the stars. He said nothing but the air shifted from comfortable silence to quiet support.

Putting bare feet on the cold carved stone floor of the balcony, the billionaire looked at Barnes, “Thanks… for listening.”

Barnes met him at his eyes while remaining seated. Never moving but keeping the clear sign he was paying attention it most counted.

“Anytime A—S—Tony.”

“Um… get some rest.” The short male pulled the blanket up and around his shoulders still watching Barnes who sat down in half combat gear. Surprised he did not bring anything out either to work on.

James nodded in agreement but not moving. Rubbing at his thigh, Barnes looks at the sky then back to the man, “You too.” He watched Tony give him a small, sleepy smile as he made his way off to sleep. Somewhere soft he hoped. Yet, Bucky remained seated.

He looked to see Polaris starting to fade with his siblings as the sun chased them away. He looked back to the door the tiny, cute male went through. He thought about the story and the information that the pilot of the armor gave to him. It was meant to be kept as a secret even without it being said. He listened but it with confidence that he would not say anything.

As far as James can do, is keep to the unspoken promise. Standing up, he made his way to sleep today off. He felt the rest of his body straining, from emotions or how fast his heartbeat fasts around the male.

Tony closed his bedroom door tight pushing his face into the door. Sliding down the door, the philanthropist sighed confused with himself why he even told Barnes any of that. Anything like that. He knows he made the calls pre- to telling Barnes. Christ though, sat there telling him things about his family and why he is telling the roommates.

Curling up on the floor, he had FRIDAY play Don’t Fear the Reaper. Giving a data-filled hug, the man rolled onto his back staring at the ceiling not sure what is happening anymore.

“Wake me up in two hours and remind me in another hour to tell the people downstairs about the meeting. Please.”

“Anything for you Boss. Goodnight.”

Laughing sleepily, the brunette closed his eyes to fall asleep to the guitars with singer voice singing around him.


End file.
